Effect of sensory-perceptual-motor training on activities of daily living and hand functions in unilateral cerebral palsy: a randomized control trial

Purpose This study examines the impact of sensory-perceptual-motor training (SPMT) on hand functions as well as activities of daily living (ADLs) in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (U-CP).Materials and methods The study enrolled 52 children with U-CP aged 8–12 years, who were randomly allocated to either a conventional therapy group (N = 26) or an experimental SPMT group (N = 26). Independence in ADLs, timed motor performance, and gross manual dexterity were assessed using the Katz Index, Jebsen–Taylor Hand Function Test, and Box and Block Test at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention.Results Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in all measured outcomes immediately following treatment (p < 0.001). However, the SPMT group showed significantly greater improvements than the conventional therapy group in all measured outcomes at post-treatment (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.96).Conclusions The SPMT program may offer a promising rehabilitation strategy for improving functional outcomes in children with U-CP and could be considered as a complementary intervention in pediatric neurorehabilitation practice. Future research should focus on larger multicenter trials, long-term follow-up assessments, and investigations of the underlying mechanisms to establish its effectiveness and optimize treatment protocols.